


Selcouth

by vim_n_vigor



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Oddities Shop, Domestic, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Mental Health Issues, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Paranormal, Using an alternate name for Belarus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-06 11:22:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10333550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vim_n_vigor/pseuds/vim_n_vigor
Summary: Yong Soo is on a desperate hunt for a birthday present while the storm of the century looms down on the city. With the shops closed, he's forced to make due with Selcouth, the city's somewhat famous oddities shop, run by a woman just as odd as her wares.-Human AU, in which Belarus co-owns an oddities shop, and South Korea is a good man on a mission.





	1. Only One Open

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my first attempt at fanfiction since my heyday at age thirteen. Five years later, and I'm finally going for it again. Hopefully, this is enjoyable for everyone. 
> 
> Inspired by an RP ring on Tumblr, and long chats with a good friend.

It was a quarter to nine on a particularly dim November, an early snowstorm on the horizon. The weather channel had been on it for days, and to make it worse, the local news had jumped on it as well. It was sensational, apparently, how the snow was making its debut appearance for the year an entire month early (with six inches, at that!). While Yong Soo appreciated being informed, he’d decided approximately eight hours ago that this entire notion was getting a little ridiculous. It was the weather, for goodness sake! Though it could change, and was bound to have an affect on their everyday lives, there was other news available to cover. Politics, world affairs, even entertainment. At this point, anything was better than hearing more and more about the weather. 

Nevertheless, there was reason to be concerned. Snow meant cold, and cold meant more emergencies. Yong Soo himself didn’t do too well in the cold, he was a man who relished warmth, whether it came in hot soup or a warm blanket. The cold was his business though, the hospital demanded that. If the reports were to be believed, this incoming storm would be the worst in thirty years, blowing the previous two winters he’d worked at the local emergency room out of the water. At this point though, he had bigger things to worry about. 

Yong Soo had abruptly received an invitation to a birthday celebration for his old college roommate. Hearing from Ivan for the first time in nearly a year had been great, but the text followed by a call for a party that was happening that night had left Yong Soo a bit overwhelmed. While getting to the bar on Fifth and Broadway would be no issue, acquiring a present when the time was late and the weather was foreboding left him in a bit of a pickle. In fear of snow and disastrous roads for its employees, almost everywhere had closed up shop, leaving Yong Soo driving along darkened streets, beginning to give up hope. 

It wasn’t like Ivan was hard to shop for. None of his friends really were! It was just a matter of options, and how few there were. Three miles from home, and not able to waste time, Yong Soo gave up driving around and parked an available space on the road, a red pickup truck at his front, and a black sedan at his back. Sliding out of the car, he pulled his parka a little tighter, cheeks flushed with the cold and eyes on a favored boutique. Jamie’s was well known for its selection of men’s clothing, and Yong Soo intended to slip in, pick up something that would catch both his and Ivan’s eye, and slip out before the clock struck nine. The place was open until ten anyways, he had plenty of time and little to worry about it. Shutting the door, he pressed the key fob until the car honked, only to break into a run when he turned towards the shop. 

“Hey-! Kam- Kelsey!” The woman he called for was currently standing in front of the darkened shop, a set of keys in her hands, jingling merrily against the cold air. Shit. “Is everything okay?” Having nearly slipped and eaten sidewalk, Yong Soo planted his hand on the brick wall of the building, catching his breath and his dignity. “I thought you guys were open until ten, not--” He cut off, waving a hand at the dark shop with the blinds drawn tight. It looked closed, and he could only pray that wasn’t the case.

“Huh?” She jumped, nearly dropping the keys. “Oh, uh, hey there.” She obviously didn’t remember his name, but the look in her eyes suggested that she remembered Yong Soo’s face. “Were you wanting to get some last minutes shopping in? You’re fresh out of luck. Boss man closed us up early for the storm.” 

“Really?” He grimaced, cursing the damnable weather reports. Holding in a few choice curses, Yong Soo settled for shaking his head, offering a sheepish smile instead. “Of course you’re closing early. I was hoping to get something for a, a friend. Last minute party tonight.” A hand waved, trying to enunciate just how important this really was. 

“Ooh.” Wincing sympathetically, Kelsey pocketed the ring of keys, struggling to take her nametag off of her blouse. “That really sucks.” 

“Anyway you could let me sneak in?” Grin a bit toothy, Yong Soo shifted his weight onto his right leg. 

“Ha! I wish. Sorry bud, but the alarm’s turned on. Boss man’ll have me if I turn it off and back on.” 

“Damn. No exceptions?”

“None. Gotta disappoint you there.” Kelsey flicked her hand dismissively, before nuding her glasses up on her nose. It was understandable, following store policy like that, though Yong Soo was finding himself in even more of a conundrum. What was he supposed to do? A small part of him insisted he just cancel going to the party, go home, and call his mom like he was supposed to do two days ago. Though, never one to quit, Yong Soo steeled himself, pushing his fingers haphazardly through his hair. 

“Know somewhere I could go?” Maybe the clerk would be of some help, allowing him to get something that Ivan would enjoy, without making his wallet shed a few tears. “I’m desperate here.” Clasping his hands together in a begging motion, Yong Soo smiled again, this time like a kicked puppy. Kelsey hummed in reply, coiling a few pieces of hair around her finger until they snapped off.

“Yeah, I know a place,” she said tentatively, “if your friend likes, uh, weird stuff. Try the place three doors down. Margot, the owner, she’s from like, North Dakota. I’ve never seen her close up shop before she wanted to.” Nodding once, Kelsey moved away from the door, eyeing her sedan with hungry eyes. “I’m going to go now. Good luck with your shopping!” 

“Yeah, thanks!” Positively beaming, Yong Soo bundled up a little more into his coat, shoving his hands into his pockets. Three doors down. There was a light on to the left, about three buildings down, and none on the right, leading him to believe that was his ticket to a half decent birthday present. Setting off, he hit the lock button on his key fob once more for good measure, walking towards the shop with long, measured steps. Hopefully, this would be what he needed. Otherwise, he was sorely tempted to fake sick, go home, and hopefully never deal with the stress of last minute birthday parties ever again. In front of the lit up shop before he knew it, Yong Soo found himself staring at the sign mounted on the brick building, lips parted in slight disbelief as to what he was looking at. 

Selcouth: An Oddities Parlor 

The sign offered a rather stellar description of what he could see in the windows. A particularly vicious looking taxidermied fox sat on its haunches on a table, a bird skull posed between its paws. To the right, a necklace made of an obscene amount of emerald, gleaming in black velvet, a small card indicating that it was potentially haunted. While not one for superstition, Yong Soo still gave it a questioning look, brow furrowed. The sight of what appeared to be a shrunken head of some sort next to it pushed him to stop staring, instead opening the door to the shop, which advertised that it was open until eleven. 

A bell rang, cheery despite the atmosphere. The inside of the shop was just as jarring as the outside, with more displays set up in glass cases or on well dusted shelves. A jar of glass eyes (or so he hoped) in clear liquid seemed to be staring right into his soul from its place next to a dried hand, leaving shivers in his spine. He took a tentative step in, eyes on the chandelier and feet scuffling on the carpet. 

“Hello there!” The apprehension in his bones was shattered by someone greeting him, Yong Soo looking up with a start, blinking owlishly at the clerk. This didn’t look right. The woman currently beaming at him was a very tall, particularly round woman with a lot of curly red hair, and cheeks like biscuit dough. She looked like somebody’s grandmother in that sweater, not a collector of taxidermied animals, maybe haunted jewelry, and skeletal remains. “Welcome to Selcouth, how can I help you tonight?” 

“Oh, uh-” He smiled, like that was the only thing he actually knew how to do. “I’m looking for a present, for a friend. Someone suggested this place to me, so I thought I’d take a look. Last minute deal.” 

“Ooh dear, I get it.” The woman bobbed her head, coming out from behind the counter. It was at that moment that he heard what sounded like the clanging of metal, brow furrowed and lips open in a silent question. She said nothing of it, approaching Yong Soo with a warm smile. “I’m Margot, let’s get you set up with something. What does your friend like?” 

Shit. A sigh hit him hard, coming out his nose with a heavy puff of air. “Color.” Yong Soo answered after a beat of hesitation, nodding his head. Though, it was more to convince himself, rather than the woman helping him. 

“Color.” She repeated with a thoughtful hum, drumming her fingers against her thigh. “Oh! I know just the thing, right this way, dearie.” Margot waved a hand, walking towards a shelf near the back of the shop. He followed dutifully, only to be halted by that clanging noise once again. 

“Are the pipes bad?” The words came without thought, head tilted and body frozen from his own surprise. 

“Pipes? No no! That must be- here boy!” Giving a whistle, the clamor started up once more, before a rather jolly looking yellow labrador came out from behind the counter, blinking big brown eyes at the pair. “Must have been Bimka you heard. He’s the shop mascot of sorts.” 

“Hey buddy.” Yong Soo went to extend a hand to the dog, but pulled it away when he noted that the dog had a vest. Huh. He grinned, waving a hand to indicate the dog, who had sat to stare at them both. “I’m guessing you’re his handler?”

“No no. He’s Vasya’s, but she’s asleep right now, poor dear. I just took Bimka out for his nightly walk so she doesn’t have to get up later.” Waving a hand dismissively, Margot continued leading Yong Soo towards her intended target. When she stopped, he found himself looking at glass domes, each filled with a number of butterflies, frozen in their display. “I’m thinking these might be a good fit for your friend. If you’re sure his tastes are in line with this place.” 

“Oh no, this is great.” Yong Soo, still a tad slack jawed, leaned forward until his nose nearly brushed against the dome, focusing on the spirals of blue and yellow butterflies. It was cool, damn cool, and he was somewhat tempted to get one for his own house. It’d look good on his dresser, posed next to the mirror and adding a bit more color to a room that already felt warm to him. “I’ll take this one.” 

“The blue and yellow one? Great.” Margot nodded once in approval, scooping up the dome and resting it on her hip. “You mentioned a present, dearie. Do you need this wrapped?” Yong Soo could only nod, his attention captivated by what appeared to be a badger skull, the teeth replaced with what could only be rubies, judging by the price tag. Margot, to her credit, left him alone, bustling behind the counter and wrapping up his gift with tissue paper, before wrestling it into a merrily colored bag, striped with green and purple. 

“Do you guys take cards?” Reluctantly, Yong Soo pulled himself away from observing the shop, approaching the counter and fishing around for his wallet. 

“Sure we do! Any of the major carriers.” Replying by slapping down his Visa, Yong Soo watched quietly as she ran the card, idle hands plucking a business card from its little plastic holder. 

“I heard that you guys are planning on staying through this storm. It’s supposed to be rough.” Voice cautious, Yong Soo looked back to the dog- Bimka- that’s what Margot had said. “Everywhere else is closed at this point! It’s just you and the hospital left, it seems like.” And the Walmart, though he wasn’t too inclined to mention that. 

“Oh, this little storm?” Margot snorted, shaking her head as she handed Yong Soo’s card back to him. “Everyone in this blasted town gets too worked up about these things. I’ve been through worse, and there’s just no good reason to close down. I’ll have you know that people used to be tougher! You kids could use some toughening up.” Deciding to refrain from telling the lady that he was in his thirties, Yong Soo smiled sheepishly, card in his wallet, and wallet put away. 

“I’ll take your word for it then. Good luck getting people in with weather like this.” Speak of the devil, snow appeared to be falling now, tiny little flakes that were dusting the sidewalks, spraying them with powdered sugar. It was serene, a lot like a postcard. Margot, behind him, whistled softly, a soft ‘would you look at that’ directed to no one in particular. Vaguely, he wondered how it was downtown, where the party was supposed to reach a fever pitch at that bar on Fifth and Broadway. There was only the slightest bit of concern about whether or not his SUV would handle the trip home, but the bar was at a higher elevation, and the area was prone to bad luck when it came to the weather. Ivan was difficult to deter, though, so he could very well be at the bar with the storm of the century screaming in the background. 

Margot, to her credit, didn’t say a word. Instead, she tore the receipt from the machine, pressing it into Yong Soo’s hand. Crumpling the thin paper until it disappeared into his broad palm, Yong Soo was ready to disappear out of Selcouth for the night, present in hand and destination a night of shenanigans. Despite these intentions, his phone rang, playing an electronic ditty from the confines of his pocket. Flashing Margot an apologetic smile, Yong Soo fished his phone from his pocket, furrowing his brow. 

“Hey Ivan, what’s shaking?” Leaving the bag on the counter, Yong Soo strolled to the other end of the shop, sizing up a grizzly bear skull that sat on green velvet. 

“Hey Soo!” The voice was familiar, and Yong Soo smiled at the entire situation. It was better than anonymous telemarketer calls, after all. He could easily accept a call from someone he knew, instead. “Bad news.” Ivan paused, just long enough that Yong Soo was certain he was looking for dramatics, before continuing. “The snow is picking up! Tough people like you and I don’t care, but apparently, the bar is closing down. We’ll have to reschedule for when this storm blows through!” While the other’s voice was cheery, there was just enough dejection tinged in it to make Yong Soo wince sympathetically. It really was a shame, he knew Ivan, the man had a flair for parties, and lived to make a venue shine. 

“Dang.” The response was a bit lame, Yong Soo shaking his head to chastise himself. “You had me out running around for birthday presents for nothing! Rude.” Punctuating that with a laugh, he turned to look at the skull once more. “Don’t worry about it, bro. Keep me in the loop and it’s all fine.” 

“Easy.” He seemed smug, for what reason, Yong Soo did not know why. “This gives me time to make things even better, so, maybe it’s not as bad as we’d like to think!” Considering that he’d been tempted to fake sick to go to bed particularly early, Yong Soo wasn’t particularly crushed, though he now had a present that he needed to hold onto. The timing was unfortunate, but at least the gift wasn’t horrendous, maybe he could unwrap it for awhile and let it spiffy up a countertop. 

“Hey, I’ll see you around, Ivan. Keep in touch!” 

“You too, Soo. So long!” The call ended there, with Yong Soo lamenting on the fact that his old roommate sounded a lot like an old man. While somewhat funny, it did make him shake his head. They weren’t that old! Not in the very least. He himself was nearly thirty-two, a respectable age to be working the stressful shifts at the emergency room that he did. 

“So, I guess my party just got canceled. I’ll just, hang onto this.” Yong Soo grinned back at Margot, who was opening a door in the back to nudge Bimka the dog through. She seemed to jump upon being addressed, turning back and shutting the unlabeled door firmly. 

“What a shame,” she said, shaking her head at Yong Soo, “well, I’m glad you’re not in so much of a rush. If you change your mind on this little thing, feel free to come back in. Just hold onto that receipt.” Realizing he had crumpled it into his pocket, he yanked it out, smoothing the waxy paper as smooth as he could against his left thigh.   
“Yeah, uh, thanks for the help.” The place was pretty cool, with lots to look at. Maybe he’d come back in and explore, and try not to get the creeps this time. While cool, the menagerie of ‘potentially haunted’ jewelry left him with an odd taste in his mouth. 

“No issue, bye-bye now!” Margot sent him off with a wave, the bag clutched in his hands. Pulling the collar of his parka a little higher, until the faux fur tickled his nose, Yong Soo shuffled out and into the snow. Somewhat pensive, he unlocked the car, dropping the bag in the back and sliding into his own seat. The place was, odd, no puns intended. Nevertheless, it wasn’t repulsive, allowing him to linger with a morbid sort of interest in the macabre nature of Selcouth. 

The drive home was somewhat eventful, as the snowflakes thickened into something akin to feathers, the drivers seemed to grow both sparser and far more sporadic, refusing to actually slow down and drive carefully. Tense and somewhat frustrated, Yong Soo tried to let his head wander a bit, away from the building road rage in his chest. 

Selcouth. The name rang like an old manor, made of red brick and malicious strands of ivy that broke apart the stone. He was interested in it, to the point where he had already made the decision to go back when he had the time (and exhaustion hadn’t set in three hours before the end of his shift). Besides, he wasn’t done with that shop yet. He’d spotted a rather frightening looking thing, but hadn’t gotten close enough to determine whether it was a wolverine, or some sort of rabid bear cub. 

With his thoughts hanging heavy, the drive home went by without too much of a hitch, despite the slow going. Pulling into the apartment complex, he was relieved to find his parking spot clear, feet sore and mutely grasping his keys. The storm was only supposed to last five days at the most, so perhaps, he would go out once the very worst of it was over and done with. The dome with the frozen butterflies was unceremoniously removed from its wrappings, before being placed on an end table where a lamp had been at one point. It had been shattered when one of his youngest cousins came to visit, with no suitable replacement to be found. This would do nicely. 

Well, at least he had an excuse to find himself back at Selcouth without having to make up some convoluted story.


	2. Ill-Tempered Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yong Soo comes back again, this time, the shop's ghost shows her face. Fairytales ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this took less time than I thought it was going to. Thank you to everyone for reading, and enjoy this chapter!

It took four days before Yong Soo could even consider leaving his apartment, for anything other than work, of course. Work was vital; the noble path of medicine was demanding and ruthless in its mannerisms, insisting that he throw all of himself into it. It had only been worse since the snow started on Tuesday night as he left Selcouth and the closed up streets behind, a dome of butterflies hidden in tissue paper.

 Once Yong Soo had gone to bed, the snow had taken its cue, falling heavy and thick, leaving silent blankets behind. It was something out of a storybook, in his mind. It always snowed in the city, but not like this. The snow came in a puff that dusted the sidewalks and made everything look like the top of a particularly well-made donut. This snow was more like icing, thick and heavy and all-consuming in its nature. Though he had no love of the cold, Yong Soo could appreciate the raw power of the snow.

It’d been a royal pain in his neck, nevertheless. The hospital had been inundated with people, the ER full to bursting in its waiting room. He’d heard many a tale from the triage nurses, ears burning at what could only be described as screaming that could be heard out front; a disgruntled woman with a broken wrist, held later to make up for the three cardiac cases that had come in out of the blue. Everyone was ready to drop, at this rate. Bets were taken, when the snow would melt to a point where people would start driving like they’d earned those licenses when they could venture outside without snowmelt dampening their socks to mush.

Yong Soo was a man dying on his feet.

Though in love with his career, and the choices he made, what the cold brought was becoming a bit distressing. This time of year wasn’t as bad the year before, or before that. Powerless to stop it, he held a grudge against the weather and its consequences, held over like a looming figure.

Four days into the snowstorm of the century, he was certain he was beginning to go a little stir-crazy. That was likely his fault. Assumptions had been made, and Yong Soo was woefully underprepared to hang out in his house for a week with any sort of variety. Having made everything fresh in the fridge, and refusing to bow to the concept of having sandwiches for dinner, he resorted to canned soup. It wasn’t bad, the soup was the nice sort, with decent chunks of meat and a broth that didn’t offend his senses. Adding in rice made it heartier, made him fuller, made him forget that he was underprepared and currently living off of Campbell’s generosity.

The time was nearing five in the evening on one of his few days away from work, long body slung across the couch, where it had been for a solid hour or two. Television and lunch had satisfied him for awhile, though he had to admit to an itch that had burrowed beneath his sternum. Perhaps he hadn’t been moving enough. A frown creased Yong Soo’s mouth, brow furrowed as he flipped the television channels once, twice, three times, before shutting it off and pressing a spare pillow into his face. Allowing himself a muffled scream to relieve some of that itch, he fell limp, inhaling through his nose.

He needed to get out.

His eyes drifted to the dome of butterflies, sitting pristine in its spot on his end table. They did nicely there, Ivan would need to find a new gift, that was his now. Lips upturning at the corners, Yong Soo rolled himself to his feet, finding motivation to at least go out to the grocery store, take a walk and figure out what he wanted to do with himself.

Despite being dressed, it takes a solid half an hour for Yong Soo to get himself out of the house.  A sweater is thrown on, one of the wool ones he thought he’d never get a chance to wear. The scarf follows, followed by the fur-lined parka he’d donned while running around on the fabled birthday mission of the week prior. He felt a bit like a marshmallow, but too warm to bother shedding any clothing for the sake of style. Bah. Wool socks, thick boots, wallet, car keys. He’s off and to his car, hoping for a lack of neurotic drivers. The last thing Yong Soo needs is to be on the wrong side of the ER.

Thankfully, the drive is quiet. The radio hums, giving him good reason to beat his fingers shallowly against the wheel, making up tunes to songs he’s heard once or twice, but not remembered. He’d intended to get groceries first, but the sight of the parking lot sends him going elsewhere, driving aimlessly, just to drive.

He doesn’t exactly realize when he finds himself on Yamhill. It’s an easy place to get to, there are so many ways to do it, that nobody could fault you for finding it. Perhaps that’s why the businesses put on that street thrive. Yong Soo can’t recall the last time a business that went up on that street, went down in less than two years. Nevertheless, the shops- mainly boutiques and the like- are dark and silent, their workers home, bracing against the weather. Passing by the boutique he’d been locked out of by the clerk’s insistence on not upsetting her boss, he smirks, finding the memory to be amusing, somewhat fond, really.

Selcouth stands alive and humming with life; despite having only seen it once, Yong Soo is in no way surprised.

What does surprise him, comes in two. First, it’s the sight of the dog, Bimka, sitting on the expanse of a low table that made up the front display. With nobody on the road, Yong Soo stops, gawking at the dog in his bright orange vest, all covered in patches. It’s funny, though it probably has some purpose. Margot had said he had a handler, one that wasn’t her. What had she said? Vanessa? Valerie? It was something like that, a name that started with a ‘V’ and an ‘A’. A moment longer staring at the dog, and Yong Soo realizes that he can’t see any sign of Margot. She’s hard to miss, as tall as she is, and the colors she wears. Frankly, she sticks out like a sore thumb, and it’s hilarious.

Maybe the other worker is there. Curiosity killing the cat, Yong Soo parks the car, resigning himself to getting groceries at another time, when the crowds are less, and he doesn’t feel like dying in the checkout line. The key fob in his pocket gets fumbled with, hit one too many times until the horn crows and it feels like the world’s been split apart. Damn the snow, it makes everything painfully quiet.

A bell chimes when he opens Selcouth’s door, Bimka raising his massive head and giving Yong Soo a pensive look and slow blink in greeting. Taking it as a complement, he shakes the snow from his hair, stepping inside the warmth of the odd little shop. It’s just as it had been, with the dried body parts and bleached skulls, gems gleaming and befitting a dragon’s hoard. Turning his head slowly to observe, he catches the soft inhale of breath before he’s spoken to.

“Welcome to Selcouth.” There’s no offer to help find something, as if whomever this is, can tell by the look on his face. The voice is far from Margot’s Minnesota accent, and instead, sounds more like Ivan has found a way to confuse him. True to himself, Yong Soo turns his head to the counter and offers this awkward little half smile for all he’s worth.

“Hey, thanks for having me.” A small snort and the woman raises an eyebrow, seemingly unimpressed by whatever it is he’s just done. He allows a moment more to watch her, before redirecting to the collection of feathers for sale.

She seems a lot more fitting for a place like this, a good deal shorter and built like a willow branch. Her hair, obviously dyed, is silver, and for a good moment, Yong Soo wonders if he’s staring at some ancient specter that haunted one of the necklaces. Nevertheless, her scowl and the sheer number of tattoos visible on her arms and chest ruin that notion for him. No ancient spirit, just another person, alone with the weather, like himself. So, he flashes her another smile, ambling up to the counter.

Her name tag says ‘Vas’, plain as day, and Yong Soo figures that Bimka must belong to her.

“I’ve heard about you.” He doesn’t realize that he sounds a bit creepy until Vas’s lip curls a bit, her teeth bright behind purple lipstick. “Uh, not in a creepy, stalking-you-on-the-internet way. Promise.” Hands go up; a sign of surrender.

“Explain.” He’s definite that this isn’t the shining example of customer service, but he goes for it.

“I was in here a few days ago,” he starts simply, “someone else was here, Margot.” She seems to soften at the name, seeming just a bit forgiving for his previous transgression, though something in him stings still. A lesson learned. “She mentioned someone else was here, sleeping, I think. I was asking about the dog.” Yong Soo juts a thumb back, in the general direction where Bimka is resting.

“Bimka?” She starts, peering over his shoulder to look at her dog. Clucking her tongue, the dog dutifully gets up from his perch, trotting to her side and laying down with a big doggy sigh. “He’s a good dog, I can see why you’d ask about him.” Her voice is reserved but in no way shy. She’s used to people buying things, not trying to make conversation with her when she’s alone in the shop. “That’s me, though, yeah. What about it?”

“Uh.” Blinking like an idiot, Yong Soo shrugs uselessly, his grin lopsided. “Nothing, really. The grocery store’s a madhouse, I was too afraid to go in and get actual food, and this place was open. So, why not take another look?” His confidence is back, thumping at his chest, where the itch has gone into hiding, unfelt for the time being. “I’m digging the badger.”

“Tuli?” She paused, craning her neck to look at the badger skull he’d seen the other day, the one with the teeth replaced with gleaming crystals. Confused, Yong Soo furrowed his brow, rather lost, until the woman shook her head. “The skull,” it was obvious she was leaving off some sort of quip to his observational skills, but he kept his mouth shut for the sake of being nice.

“Ohhh.” Chuckling despite the little spark in his throat that came with her unsaid quip, Yong Soo continued to smile at the perpetually scowling other. “I don’t need any help right now, so uh, I’m just going to wander around for a bit.”

“Suit yourself.” She nodded once, turning back to what she’d been doing, polishing a crystal the size of her palm. Yong Soo settled for wandering to the end of the shop he hadn’t been to before, the back corner near the cashier’s counter. This particular area was dedicated to art, odd paintings and sketches made from all sorts of mediums. When he looked closely at one of them, he had to recoil, recognizing the dark red and brown pigments as blood. Though used to the substance, seeing it as art, instead of being smattered across skin and cloth, was odd.

Turning away from the bloody flowers, Yong Soo let his eyes wander, settling on a more subdued piece. For somebody not all that versed in the arts, it managed to catch his eye, craning closer to get a look at the card before he took to actually examining the piece.

_‘Odd Lights, Oil on Canvas’._

It certainly was odd. A girl, old enough to nearly be a woman, took up the foreground, pale as death and still alive, by the gleam in her eyes. A blonde braid fell over her shoulder, her dress nothing close to being in date. Although, the entire thing looked like a fairytale the more he observed. She was bathed in light, the source a human skull, greyed with age and warm light flooding from every space it could escape from. For a moment, he was certain that she was on fire, the trees in the background, just barely lit up. Closer inspection showed that those towering trunks were not in fact trees, but chicken legs.

“Vasilisa the Beautiful.” Yong Soo spoke after a long beat of silence, recognizing the tale of a girl sent to fetch light from the home of a witch.

“Excuse me?” Vas’s voice hit much like a car, snarling with suspicion as she stared with icy blue eyes from where she stood. “Who the f--” a pause, and a breath, “who told you my name?” Yong Soo stared blatantly, a laugh escaping before he could stop it.

“That’s your name?” He offered another half a grin, trying to soothe the upset clerk. “I didn’t know, honestly. The painting just caught my eye.” She- Vasilisa- deflated shortly after, offering a curt nod that didn’t make Yong Soo feel much better. The girl had an attitude that made him feel less than welcome, especially compared to his first reception.

“Yeah, I’m Vas to most people.” A red painted nail tapped at her nametag, face just a little softer than it had been a second ago. “You got a name? Or am I going to have some stranger running off with the entirety of my first name.”

“Im Yong Soo.” He answered without hesitation, beaming.

“Oh, full name, huh?” Vasilisa cocked her head, setting the crystal down and leaning on the counter, silvery hair brushing across the polished top. “Vasilisa, Kovelchuk.” It took her a moment to answer, Yong Soo noticed that instantly. Why? He wasn’t quite sure. Reading people past a superficial level wasn’t something he was very good at. “I guess, go ahead and look around. I’ll be here if you need something from me.”

 

\---

 

Vasilisa pushed herself off of the counter as the other left her alone for a few minutes, a shiver going up her spine. She wasn’t often alone in the shop. Margot was often close by, either working or just a few minutes away, given a phone call. Nevertheless, a sick brother had sent her across town for the day, leaving Vasilisa with instructions not to call unless it was an absolute emergency. Her own anxieties were not to apply. She’s learned to handle that much on her own, and well, she was a big girl, old enough to be capable.

The customer, Yong Soo, he said, had wandered further into the shop, still taking count of all of the pieces of art that were displayed in that particular section of the shop. Selcouth was big and easy to get lost in, with the displays of oddities and tall shelves that made up labyrinth walls. She had no issue with it. Selcouth was her home after all, in a very literal sense.

Vasilisa had been living behind the main shop for just about six years, the empty area having been converted to a positively tiny living space. It wasn’t much, but it was her’s and she enjoyed having something that acted as her own. So, from long days and late nights, she knew every step and inch that Selcouth had to offer. If anything changed, she knew about it instantaneously, far sooner than Margot did.

At times, she felt like a ghost, haunting that odd shop.

Drawing a breath in through her nose, Vasilisa leaned down, opening the cupboard of cleaning supplies. She tossed the dusting rag back in, watching it fall in a haphazard little lump. The place was clean, save for some vacuuming she would do once her sole customer beat feet and gave her some time to stew in the macabre nature of the shop. Vasilisa wasn’t much of a people person, which didn’t set her up to do well in retail. It was the way she loved Selcouth, that let her stay as a constant in that odd little world.

Speaking of her customer, he appeared to be engrossed in those paintings once again, eyes a little glassy and expression unreadable. She took a moment to observe without much thought, stooping to push her fingers through the thick fur at Bimka’s neck. While awkward and putting her own edge, he wasn’t bothering her, thank Christ. It gave her time to watch and think, to get used to having someone in there to simply wander, instead of to make purchases, or to quiz her on her knowledge of the absurd. Frankly, she’d be happy to cut off an arm, instead of dealing with those sorts. Horror junkies sent her on an angry tailspin.

“Something catchin’ your eye?” He’d been in that back corner with the paintings for awhile, and she was beginning to worry that he might try and take something small enough to put in a pocket. A groan fell from her throat as she lifted the barrier to slip out from behind the counter, taking soft steps to wander back towards the corner. Yong Soo was in there somewhere, though where, she wasn’t quite sure. Without a response, she frowned, turning to the area he should have been in. Vasilisa could hear him moving, the shifting of weight that made the squeaky floorboard whine. Turning one more corner, she promptly collided with Yong Soo, who was coming around the same corner.

“Oh, oh damn, so sorry!” He spoke in a flurry of words, tripping over himself with every syllable that he managed to spit out. Vasilisa could only stand and stare, limbs stiff and jaw set, taking a few small steps back to create a safe area of space.

“Be careful.” Her admonishment turned out more like a growl, nose pinching and lips parted slightly. “You’re going to break something here.”

“Yeah, some of this stuff is so fragile. How do you not have anything broken?”

“I keep idiots out.” That was a slip of her tongue, Vasilisa frowning sharply, leaning down to pat Bimka when he brushed against her side. While he was well-meaning, she didn’t feel right, chest twisting. Granted, she didn’t feel secure with strangers, and Yong Soo was very much a stranger. He seemed to deflate a little bit under her words, though Vasilisa didn’t hold many regrets on that front. It was what it was. “Be sure you don’t become one of them.” Somehow, he perked up.

“I can do that,” he winked, of all things, “easy as pie.” Vasilisa furrowed her brow, giving Yong Soo an incredulous look.

“Oh my God.” She shook her head, clucking her tongue and resisting the urge to give the other a smack on the arm. While he was clad in a sweater that gave the impression that she was talking to a softie, he was still a good foot taller than her, shoulders wide enough to make her know better (though she didn’t often follow her own intuition). “Don’t do that.”

“Don’t do what?” He smiled, and her frown deepened in reply. So, Vasilisa offered a dark huff, turning an about face and marching away, back behind the counter. It was getting darker earlier, the sun beginning to dip behind the buildings, leaving darkness in his wake. Yong Soo seemed to notice that as well.

“It’s getting late,” he called over to her, making his way to the front, “I should get those groceries.” Vasilisa nodded once, not bothering to say anything in reply. “Thanks for keeping me company, Vas, Vasilisa.” He was questioning what she liked to be called, so in response, she offered no clue on what to say. Let him sweat. At that, he was out the door and out of her life for the day.  
  
In no way did Vasilisa miss how his gaze went back over his shoulder, searching for her eyes as the door swung shut.


	3. Break for Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The snow keeps falling, and chatter keeps building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm really enjoying getting to write this.

The following Monday had rolled about, and yet, nothing had appeared to change. Snow still fell in sheets, consuming the Earth faster than man could plow or salt it away. Vasilisa was in no way upset by it, snow was simply a cycle in all things, that left her feeling satisfied with the world around her, if not a bit empty. The time was nearing six in the morning and she hadn’t slept a wink. Nothing unusual. The persistence of nightmares was an old friend, so she’d spent her night sprawled across her bed like a ragdoll, hand held over the side of the bed to rest weakly on Bimka’s massive, furry head. Selcouth didn’t open its doors until seven; though the lack of sound from the road suggested that the snow had fallen even thicker, nature’s blankets smothering the city to death. 

Silence, it was a peaceful thing, and she enjoyed bathing in it. The alarm wasn’t due to go off for approximately three more minutes, so Vasilisa took it upon herself to shift slightly in the bed, joints stiff and eyes crusty from not completely taking off her mascara. Perhaps it was a bad idea, to fall into bed fully clothed, and to let sheets that needed washing tangle in her limbs until she was in a straitjacket of unusual design. Rather stuck in those messy sheets, Vasilisa resigned herself to not moving until the shriek of the alarm determined that she needed to do so. 

Selcouth had been quiet with the coming of the snow. It wasn’t frighteningly unusual, but she was used to seeing more than two or three brave souls in a day come through, gift hunting or occasionally asking about the history of a piece. That, she was happy to give. Vasilisa had spent many an hour looking into the pieces that were brought to the shop, whether they were donated, bought, or traded for. Each had something unique, many of them unlike anything else she had the pleasure of seeing. It gave her something to, after all. 

This morning, though, she had things to do before actually getting the shop open. The food in her little fridge was running low, down to a container of leftovers, and a chicken breast she planned to bake in the oven within the next night. That wouldn’t have been enough to send her out, but the milk had separated, and the cheese had grown a layer of mold that made her afraid to investigate the package further. Neglecting the kitchen had most definitely been her own fault, though she would have rather given up several fingers, rather than dealing with the dishes and the mess that had piled up. 

Her house was a bit of an ugly mess, at this rate. It was beyond small, with ceilings just peeking over seven feet, and windows only filtering in so much light. Vasilisa didn’t own much at least, just the essentials, which somehow were piled all over the floor in haphazard piles of laundry and mess. She’d never had any sort of motivation to keep a living space clean, it came with too much effort that she couldn’t afford to waste when her mind tried to shut itself down. 

_ Beep! Beep! Beep!  _

Unfortunately, the alarm brought itself to life all too soon, leaving Vasilisa to pry her eyes open once again, staring at the ceiling with a dead man’s gaze. “Fuck.” The word echoed, going to nobody and nothing in particular, limbs dead weights chained to her dead weight torso. Ripping herself from the bed, Vasilisa let out a particularly obscene sounding groan, curling her toes and straining her limbs until she felt some resemblance of normal. What had she needed to do again? She’d written a note and put it on the fridge the night before, those sticky notes were a godsend. 

Those dead limbs twitched and coiled until she was able to wrench herself from her rumpled sheets. The bed left unmade, Vasilisa limped into the bathroom, shedding articles of clothing until she stood nude as day, a trail of leather and cotton behind her tired, bare feet. Leaning on the vanity, she made eye contact with her own reflection, scowling at smeared eyeliner and dustings of eyeshadow that had fallen in her sleep. The shower was turned on to near scalding, eyes rubbed until the residual makeup, smeared even more, hair falling in heavy curtains alongside a pallid face. 

Little ghost, little specter of the shop, Margot would joke. It made her smile, albeit rarely. 

Steam was filling up the bathroom in plumes, so Vasilisa stepped under the water and poured shampoo into her hand, scrubbing hair and washing body until her skin was tinged pink from the attentions. It felt good, real. Once out of the shower, she wiped the steam from the mirror, looking at her face once again while her body cooled, breath coming in soft little pants. Feeling clean and warm, it helped to wake up, to make her feel more cemented. 

Following her daily routine in rapid time, Vasilisa dressed and put her makeup on, wet hair brushed straight and smooth. Groceries, she needed to get out and get her hands on the groceries before the shop had to be opened. It’d be all well and fine if they opened just a little late, nobody would be waiting. Perched on her bed, she peered over the wall that separated her loft bedroom from the rest of the tiny house, frowning at the dust on the blades of the ceiling fan. Messy, so messy. The house was starting to get gross, she needed to borrow the vacuum from out front, and open a window, before the unwashed laundry smell killed her, body to be found three days later, maybe. 

Dressed and half prepared for the upcoming day, she slid down the loft stairs, sock feet insulated from the cold kitchen tile. The fridge held her tasks, a yellow sticky note with heavy sharpie letters, front and center. ‘Groceries, pharmacy, detergent.’ It was only three words, but it did her a world of help. Groceries and detergent could be picked up at the same time, though the pharmacy would involve making another stop. Had she called in that prescription? Ah, well, it was another two days before she needed it, it’d be easy enough to drop it off and get it in a day or two when it wasn’t so unfortunately early. 

Shoes on, and a piece of bread smeared with peanut butter wedged in her mouth, Vasilisa took the keys to her beat up sedan, leaving out the back door, where the car was parked next to the oversized dumpster. Pulling the car out of the alley, she was forced to stomp on the brakes, staring at the front of the shop in abject horror. 

“What the  _ fuck?”  _ Cursing loudly in the little cabin of her car, wide eyes focused on the mountain of snow that had completely obstructed from the front doors of Selcouth. How had that happened? It was most likely, that the snowplow had royally fucked her over by doing that in its attempts to clear the streets, though anything could have happened. Either way, she sliced it, there was no way to open the shop unless she dug and prayed to every entity that could possibly be out there for her to pray to. “Motherfucker.” Another curse for good measure, Vasilisa leaned her forehead against the wheel, muttering further obscenities to herself as the scene processed in her head. 

So now, she had to get to the grocery store, get all of her own food, get it home and away, and then try and get the damn shop open. For what? Two people? What a mess. It would take a few hours of hard digging to rid the snow, which had frozen over the top, leaving her with a painfully difficult mountain to try and climb. Giving the mess one more long look, she put the car back into drive, electing to finish her morning chores before thinking about that. 

The drive to the grocery store was slow and a bit hazardous, snow piled on parked cars, and tire tracks softened by still falling flakes. The Walmart was thankfully quiet, only a few cars belonging to workers and brave customers huddled together in the dusted lot. Salt crunched under her shoes when she got out of the car, purse tucked against her side and nose pink from the sting of the wind. 

“Hey, Vas!” The sound of her name made her jump, icy eyes round and head whipping about to take in a tall figure in a familiar, massive parka. Oh, him again. Yong Soo was beginning to become a pattern, though this was the first time she’d managed to run into him outside of her own domain, which made it all the more frightening. 

“What?” She replied with a growl, somewhat on edge and somewhat underdressed in comparison to Yong Soo, who was obviously wearing two coats. “Why in the fuck are you at the store at six-thirty in the morning?” Full of morning grumpiness, Vasilisa let the other approach her, eyeing his choice in seafoam colored pants. 

“Just got off shift at the emergency room.” He replied easily, shoving his hands into his pockets. The emergency room, she’d been there once or twice, though, she’d never recalled seeing his face when she managed to be there. Ah well, such things weren’t meant to be. “I was supposed to go shopping the last time I saw you, but, that never really ended up happening.” 

“Really? It’s been at least two days, I think.” Maybe it was three, or four. The passage of time came especially oddly to her, leaving Vasilisa’s head to ache from its own tailspin. “You’re aware that you need to eat to live, correct?” Tone snide, she offered the remnants of a smile, all curled lip and flashy teeth, a pock mark in her lip from where it had been pierced. 

“Shush.” All she received was a wave of a hand, Yong Soo moving to walk beside her despite being given absolutely no invitation to do such a thing. “I’m a desperate man, give me a break.” He rolled his eyes, somehow still smiling. So, Vasilisa did nothing more than offer a small nod, procuring a basket from the front and tucking it against a narrow hip. “Do you mind if I walk with you? It’s been a quiet night, and you’ve been a good listener so far.” 

“Fine,” she turned slightly, inclining her head, “do not say anything stupid. I’ll ditch you before you even know it.” That was a promise, not a threat. Yong Soo nodded sagely, seemingly taking her clipped words close to his heart. Smart. They walked silently for a time, weaving up and down the aisles and avoiding other shoppers. Eventually, he did pause in the produce section, picking over vegetables. While fresh things were often out of her budget, she would sometimes splurge. So, while he fussed over cabbage, she slunk over to the apples, selecting three green ones, and setting them in her basket. 

By the time she returned from apple selecting, Yong Soo had somehow managed to acquire an obscene amount of vegetables and looked terribly proud of it. “It’s good soup weather.” He explained without her asking, so she nodded in reply, tilting her head to look at the rainbow of food she really couldn’t afford. “Make a chicken, use the carcass. You want some soup? I always make too much.” To that, she blinked a few times, incredulous. 

“Uh, um, well.” Filling her time with filler words so her brain could catch up, Vasilisa gawked at Yong Soo, surprised by the kindness, as well as the willingness to just give her food. “Sure, I guess. Not having to cook is never a bad thing.” 

“Obviously. You can return the favor sometime.” He winked, the man gave her an honest to God wink. 

“Maybe.” Offering no promises, Vasilisa steered them to the dairy aisle, picking up butter and another pack of cheese; maybe this time, she’d make sandwiches. The bread was still good, and the turkey was still fresh, so there was absolutely no reason not to. They continued wandering, through the canned goods, where more things were bought. Easy foods, soups and rice and beans and canned chicken and tuna. Things she could make in her sleep, in only one pan that required her attentions to scrub it clean. Lazy was fast becoming a talent of her’s, apparently. 

Yong Soo and Vasilisa shopped in silence, only breaking that up with small questions from the former, the latter either giving him a look or answering in clipped sentences. It was odd, having someone actively walking around with her, making idle conversation. The whole concept was somewhat charming, considering that she didn’t make idle conversation with anyone besides Margot, and that hardly counted. 

Soon enough, the pair found each other in the checkout line, Vasilisa standing and fidgeting behind Yong Soo. He was far more awake than her, though he had mentioned coming back from a shift at the emergency room. Maybe he worked overnight shifts. Shaking that from her head, she elected to observe, frown permanently on her lips. 

“Do you want your receipt?” The clerk, dead-eyed and ever so relatable, tore the waxy paper from the machine, rubbing his thumb against the material. 

“Yeah, please.” He took the receipt, immediately crumpling it and shoving it into his pocket, before collecting four plastic bags, bulging with his purchases. When Vasilisa stepped forward to check out her own purchases, she noted that he appeared to be waiting for her. Raising an eyebrow, her head inclined slightly, lips pursed, to which he promptly shrugged and grinned like nothing was wrong. 

“Weird.”

“Hm?” The clerk- Henry, his nametag said- looked up from his scanning, blinking heavy-lidded eyes and chasing away dreams. “Did you say something, Miss?” 

“No, it’s fine.” Reply curt, her gaze turned downwards, Vasilisa working to fish her debit card from her wallet, shoving it into the machine once prompted. She felt exhausted and heavy and like she needed to crawl back into bed, instead of opening shop for two or three lost souls like herself to blow through. The card machine yelped, so the card was pulled, tucked back into her wallet as the receipt was printed. 

“Receipt?” Apparently, he’d forgotten to give her the rest of the sentence, condescending it down to one tired word. To that, Vasilisa shook her head, not really bothering to offer a reply in response to his one-word question. There was no reason to keep it, anyways, it’d simply build up trash in her house. So, with nothing more to say, she took her bags, hefting the bottle of laundry detergent and a bag in one hand, three more in the other. Slipping out of the line, Yong Soo was still waiting, smile easy and eyes bright despite the hour. 

“Thanks for the company, shopping alone seems kind of boring now.” 

“I hardly talked.” Replying bluntly, she proceeded to talk alongside the other, car in sight and looking all too appealing. “But, you’re welcome, I guess.” 

“That’s not really a problem.” He shrugged, looking positively unphased by her cut replies and sour expression. Perhaps he dealt with worse than an icy woman who wasn’t telling him to go away. It seemed like, if she bluntly told him to fuck himself and leave, he’d do just that. Nevertheless, she didn’t ask, so he didn’t go.  

It appeared that their cars were parked only a few spaces away from each other, Vasilisa’s white sedan with the dented fender and yellow dog hair all over the back seat, and Yong Soo’s SUV, a few scratches on the door and a grill that needed washing. Groceries stashed in the trunk, she found herself leaning over the car, face pressed against the freezing metal under she was certain her nose had either stuck or turned a rather eccentric shade of red. 

“You okay? Not dying, right?” Yong Soo’s voice fluttered from where he was packing his own groceries, so Vasilisa replied with a groan and a string of curse words. “Okay,” wow, was he tolerant of her, “so not okay, but not dying too.” There was a smile in his words, so she lifted her head to give him a look. 

“The fuckin’ snowplow has Selcouth’s door blocked and I have no damn idea if we even own a shovel for me to even try to dig out to open.” The words tumbled, and she found herself a bit mortified by the fact that she was venting. “So yeah, kind of, just a little stressed. No big fucking deal, you know?” Vasilisa smiled, a strained, fake thing, that showed too many teeth, lips stretched too thin. 

“Oh shit, oh man.” Well, he was a curser too. Yong Soo winced, brows furrowed and smile a bit less toothy than her own. “Do uh, you want to head back to my place for a little while? I can make you something hot, and, I’ve got a snow blower. I hate the snow, hate it. I got that so it’d be easier. So then, we have breakfast, and I help you dig the shop out so you can open?” It’d be late, but the idea that was being put down on the table was terribly, terribly tempting. She was somewhat unsure of what to do, as the idea of going to somebody’s house, that was odd. Warning bells would be blaring if he’d acted the least bit creepy towards her, though, he hadn’t. That was the thing. He’d been perfectly reasonable and downright nice, despite her being a bit of a shit head. 

Well, she had nothing to lose. 

So, after a long beat of silence, Vasilisa nodded. “I guess that’d be alright.” 

 

\--

 

Given the reply he’d been given, Yong Soo was frankly, elated. Smile as bright as the sun, he slowed his long steps until Vasilisa was walking at his side, gaze flickering ahead and neglecting to go anywhere else. Perhaps she was nervous? That could be it, though, he didn’t think of himself as a particularly intimidating individual. The habit of sweaters and smiling too much made up for his height. So, lost in his thoughts, he watched Vasilisa climb into her car, the groceries piled neatly in the backseat. Coming over, he let her roll down the window, grin a little dopey. 

“So, you can just follow me. I’ll drive slow so I don’t lose you.” 

“That sounds, fine. I’ll be right behind you.” There was a quirk to her lips, like there was a smile in there somewhere that wasn’t quite willing to show itself at that moment. It was an interesting thing and Yong Soo had the sudden urge to try and make that quirk into something much more solid than what he was currently witnessing. 

“Try and keep up.” He gave her a wink, to which her brows furrowed, window rolling up with a snort as he had his joke rejected. Shrugging it off, he slid into his own car, turning the heated seats up on high, and heater running along as well. The snow could kindly fuck itself, in his humble opinion. He’d take the heat of summer before a touch of a freeze, any day or time, no matter what. 

Driving back to his own apartment was a bit slow, due to the heavy snow that had only been partially plowed. Yong Soo was acutely aware of Vasilisa’s car following his own, following much more tentatively, due to the weather and the nature of the car. It didn’t take long, though, for him to get to the gate of his apartment complex, opening it up and waving a hand to direct Vasilisa to the guest parking spot near his own. They got out, Yong Soo still grinning and wondering what the hell he was going to make for breakfast, of all things. 

“It’s kind of messy. I haven’t bothered cleaning in a bit, this whole thing was sort of an impulse decision.” Yong Soo kept up that easy grin, only to let it drop when she snorted at him. A snort? What had he done to deserve that? A simple non-apology for not cleaning didn’t seem worth the amusement that was etched on her face. Whatever it was, it wasn’t expressed with more than a murmur and a shake of her head, arms around her own torso in some attempt to provide warmth. “Welcome to my uh, place?” Door unlocked, Yong Soo shoved it open, revealing a modestly decorated apartment, done up in a minimalist fashion. Everything was of quality, though nothing was particularly flashy or impressive, simply black and white and grey, all in thick, blocky tones. 

“Mm,” Vasilisa hummed, brow quirked, “nice place.” She took a small step in, removing her shoes while Soo slung his parka on the coat hook, holding his hands out, to which she looked positively baffled. 

“The coat.” 

“What?” 

“I’ll take your coat, it’s got snow on it.” He shifted his hands, trying to emphasize the point. 

“Oh, shit. Yeah. Thank you.” Vasilisa’s words came clipped, the coat shed, slightly damp fabric pressed into his hands, where it was promptly hung up.

“No problem! Hm, now, how do you feel about omelets?” With the flourish of a hand, Yong Soo was guiding Vasilisa towards his kitchen, shooing her onto a barstool while he put groceries away and prodded through his fridge. “With, um, ham and cheese, and mushrooms, and spinach?” That was most likely spinach. 

“Well,” she paused, albeit briefly, “I think I like that idea.” Voice grumbly, but accepting of his ideas, Vasilisa’s head fell to her chin, elbows braced on his countertop as a tentative gaze swept about the house. “I’m not a good cook, at all. So, impressing me isn’t going to take much, if that’s what you’re going for.” 

“No way.” Yong Soo snorted, a mimicry of her earlier action towards him. “I actually like cooking! It doesn’t have to be a chore.” To that, she had rolled her eyes at him. “Oh, sassy, huh? Rude. Remind me why I’m doing this?” 

“Because I’m a sad fuckin’ sap whose workplace is snowed in?” 

“Ah, touche.” Defeated at his own game, he set to cooking, humming to himself and watching Vasilisa from the corner of his eye. “So, have you always lived in the city?” It was an innocent question, asked over chopped mushrooms. 

“Oh, uh, no. I moved down here when I was sixteen, so, I mean, that was awhile ago.” She paused, fidgeting through her answers. “I used to live way up north with my mom, but work here is good, so.” Once again, she fell silent, refusing to offer more than a shrug, head falling back to her chin. “You?”

“Yeah.” Yong Soo’s answer came remarkably easily. “I mean, I was born here, at the same hospital I work at.” Beaming with pride, the knife thumped against the cutting board, a mushroom losing its stem. “My parents aren’t from here, but this place is as good as home to my mom.” There was a brief flicker of remorse at the memory of his father, though, he’d passed away when he was still in high school, leaving him and his mother behind. He chased those thoughts away promptly, not wanting to dwell on them with a guest in the house. 

“I guess that’s pretty cool.” The omelet was cooking by now, big enough that he planned to split it into two and present her with a half. “I don’t know where I was born, so, my choice of hospital is pretty unbothered. Whatever makes your weird boat float, I guess.” If possible, she seemed to sink further into the barstool. He continued cooking in silence, humming and occasionally peeking over his shoulder to try and gauge a reaction from her. She was kind of cute, charming enough that he’d let her into his house to attempt to make an omelet he’d made three or four times, to varying degrees of success. 

The food was served on a pair of plates, Yong Soo sitting beside her, clinking his fork against his plate like he was about to give a toast. “Dig in! Hopefully, I didn’t fuck it up.” Once again, she snorted, not coming close to an actual laugh, but still showing some form of amusement. It was something, at least. Vasilisa seemed content to pick at her food, taking small bites and staring openly between them. While not creeped out, it did peak some curiosity, so, he started looking back. Blue eyes often met brown, only for the former to hold steady until he looked away, bested in the staring contests that he himself initiated. 

“Why are you doing this?” Vasilisa spoke abruptly, around a mouthful of egg and cheese, catching Yong Soo off guard. 

“Uh.” Wow, good start, real smooth. “I mean, do I need to have an actual good reason? Because anything I can reasonably come up with that doesn’t sound creepy is kind of lame. I wanted to, I guess. And I mean, you seem happy.” To that, her gaze softened, a bit more contemplative. 

“You know, Yong Soo?” Vasilisa set her fork down, omelet gone. “I think, I’m just not going to open Selcouth up today.” Her voice was a bit wispy, lost in thought and not all the way there. It was sort of odd to think about, just what could be on her mind at that moment. Shaking away his focus, Yong Soo nodded. 

“I mean, it’s kind of a gross day. Do what you want. I’ll come by another time!” Eager as he was before, long fingers pushed his hair back. “I’ll just stop by during store hours, so I don’t surprise you.” He could ask for her number, though, it didn’t quite seem appropriate. 

  
“I take a smoke break behind the shop around six, so, I mean.” Vasilisa cut herself off, shrugging heavy shoulders. “You can stop by then if you’re not busy. I won’t really mind.” While her voice was even, there was something in her tone that left him with raised eyebrows, questioning her quietly. “But, I think I should head home. Thanks for the food, helps with the shitty day.” She stood, gathering her coat and everything else, leaving him and the apartment behind before he could utter his own goodbyes. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feedback makes my day. 
> 
> Find me on Tumblr at http://nettlefics.tumblr.com


End file.
